New Jersey, Middle Atlantic state of the E United States. It is bordered by New York State (N and, across the Hudson R. and New York Harbor, E), the Atlantic Ocean (E), Delaware, across Delaware Bay (S), and Pennsylvania, across the Delaware R. (W). Only four states are smaller in size than New Jersey, yet New Jersey ranks ninth in the nation in population and has the highest population density of any U.S. state, facts owing in part to its proximity to both New York City and Philadelphia but also indicative of its economic importance. New Jersey is a major industrial center, an important transportation corridor and terminus, and a long-established playground for summer vacationers. The state is noted for its output of chemicals and pharmaceuticals, machinery, and a host of other products, including electronic equipment, printed materials, and processed foods. Bayonne is the terminus of pipelines originating in Texas and Oklahoma, and there are oil refineries at Linden and Carteret. The long history of heavy industry in New Jersey has left the state with the largest inventory of U.S. Superfund sites, and industrial cleanup is an important issue in its cities. A six-day race riot in Newark in July, 1967, drew attention to the urgent need for social and political reform in many of the state's urban centers. During the early 1970s the state government proposed plans for massive urban renewal and economic development projects, but the trend of movement away from central cities increased throughout the 1970s and 1980s and into the 1990s. During this period, New Jersey lost thousands of manufacturing jobs but replaced them through the dramatic development of the economy's service and trade sectors. In 1976 the state legalized casino gambling and in 1978 the first casino opened in Atlantic City. The Meadowlands Sports Complex opened in 1976 and grew to include Giants Stadium (1977), home of the New York Giants and New York Jets professional football teams, and Brendan Byrne Arena (1981), which hosts professional hockey, basketball, and special events. New Jersey was hard hit by recession in the early 1990s and the state suffered from overdevelopment, but increasing economic diversity had fueled a recovery by the decade's end.

The greatest single industry in the state is chemicals, and. tourism is the second-largest industry in New Jersey. Productive farmland covers nearly one million acres. New Jersey is one of the foremost research centers in the world. It is also the wealthiest state in the United States. Most residents live in the modern urban areas in the northeast which is directly across from New York City. Apartments for rent in the urban areas are more costly because of their proximity to New York and Philadelphia.

New Jersey has many historic homes, battlefields and monuments to reenact the vital role the state played in the nations struggle for independence. New Jersey has beautiful beaches, broad marshes and swampland. Substantial estates and farms, especially prosperous horse farms, still exist in parts of the Piedmont area. Much of New Jersey consists of affluent suburbs. Parts of New Jersey are in the metropolitan areas of New York City and also Philadelphia. There are many New Jersey real estate companies that will freely assist you in finding the home or apartment of your dreams.

The boardwalk and casinos of Atlantic City and the famed Jersey Shore bring many tourists to the state. The Delaware Water Gap, Edison National Historic Site and the N.J. State Aquarium also draw many tourists each year. People also enjoy visiting a Jersey Fresh farm which produces some of the sweetest fruits and vegetables around. New Jersey housing and apartment rentals offer many options for newcomers.

The State University of New Jersey, also known as Rutgers University, is the largest institution for higher education in the state and is also the eighth-oldest institution of higher learning established in the United States. It was originally chartered as Queens College in 1766. 54% of high school graduates continue on to college or university. New Jersey is home to more scientists and engineers per square mile than anywhere else in the world. New Jersey is also home to the renown Princeton University. New Jersey offers a broad range of apartment rentals for college and university students.